Painting: "First Steps"

The area surrounding our home is often frequented by wild-life. On any given day, it is not unusual to see fox, turkey, hawks, osprey, partridge, deer (sometimes with a new born fawn), hummingbirds, porcupine, skunks, and snakes (ugh! sorry...I just don't care for the snakes!) On many occasions we have had a bear or moose meander across our front or back yard, tromping through without a care. There was even a bull moose in our cellar hole before we built the house.....but that's another story for another day!


One morning, a year ago this spring, my husband and I were sitting on our front porch enjoying a cup of coffee, when all of a sudden a large cow moose stepped out of the woods near our driveway, just below the house. Of course, it's always exciting to see a moose in your yard. But, just imagine our surprise when she was soon followed by two fuzzy, very young, wobbly legged offspring!


The cow stood looking at us sitting on the porch for a few moments, and then slowly turned and walked down the drive, followed closely behind by the twins. It was obvious they had been born only a short time before, as they wobbled and swayed, bumping into each other and their mother, attempting to keep up with her.


My husband quickly went to get the camera, and then followed cautiously, not wanting to startle the twins, or unnerve their mother. A short distance down the drive, she stopped, and nudged her little ones into a pose, just long enough for my husband to snap a couple of pictures. She seemed to be introducing them, and we were thrilled to have witnessed their first "coming out".


Throughout the summer, the twins were spotted around the neighborhood, and we are certain they were the same pair that trotted across our back yard, later in the fall. At that point, they were well on their way to becoming full grown, and they were quick to move across the lawn and back into the woods. As fate would have it, however, one of them was hit by a vehicle, only a few days later. It was a sad reality, which unfortunately is a part of life in the north country.


Their short visit, both to our yard and to this earth, did cause us to reflect on how fleeting moments can be, and how important it is to remember to simply stop and take notice. We're so pleased we had the opportunity to see the twins that morning, and we were lucky to have captured a picture of their first adventure. The image has since remained on my "must do" list, and has finally become the subject of one of my most recent paintings. "First Steps" is my rendition of the twins with their mother....a tribute to their first introduction into this often very wobbly world.

Please stop by my booth to view this painting at the CRAG Art Show, during the 16th Annual Moose Festival, on August 24th, in Colebrook, NH.

Local Events, August 2007

Current and Upcoming Events in August

Featured Artists at the Interpretive Center

"Northern Views", Area Renditions by Klunder and Kenney

The original art work of Hans Klunder and Brenda L.B. Kenney will be on display at the Interpretive Center, located in the rest area building, just north of Colebrook, NH, on Rte. 3, through August 22nd, 2007. The paintings include landscapes, wildlife, and still-life images from northern New Hampshire and Vermont. The public is invited to attend the artist reception on Friday, August 3rd, from 5 - 7 pm.


Pittsburg Old Home Day, August 18, 2007

People's Choice Art Show
As part of the Pittsburg Old Home Day Celebration, the Connecticut River Artist Group will be organizing and sponsoring a "People's Choice" Art Show, featuring the work of local residents and area artists.

The event is open to anyone who would like to submit an entry. Participants will need to complete and submit a registration form no later than August 11th, and may drop off their original art work at the CRAG tent, in the park near the church, between 8:00 and 10:00 AM, the morning of August 18th. Each artist may submit up to three pieces, for inclusion under these five categories:

Oil Paintings
Watercolor & Acrylic Paintings
Drawings (pencils, charcoal, pastels)
Other/ 3D Art
Youth Category (for artists 17 and under)

Visitors to the exhibit will vote for their favorite piece, in each of the five categories. Voting will be open until 2:00 PM, and awards will be announced at 3:00 PM. A First, Second, and Third place award will be given in each category.

For more information, or to print a copy of the registration form online, please visit the CRAG web site at http://yankeeimages.tripod.com/ConnRiverArtists
Copies of the registration form will also be available at Young's Store, The Trading Post, and the Canaan Library. Questions about the event may be directed to Brenda Kenney, by calling 603-538-9542, or by email at bkenney@ncia.net

Visit from the Currier Museum, August 17th and 18th, 2007
Sponsored by CRAG, and the Pittsburg Old Home Day Committee.

The Currier Museum of Art will be heading north in its wildly colorful traveling art-mobile, to bring art programs and art-making activities to participants in Pittsburg's annual Old Home Day. Currier on the Move aims to bring art-related programming to new audiences across NH, while the museum is closed for expansion.

While in Pittsburg, the Currier will present the following:

Friday, Aug. 17th at 7 pm - adult program "From Anonymous to Aponovich: NH History and Art"
Saturday, Aug. 18th at 9 am - family program "NH History through Art"
Saturday, Aug. 18th at 10 am - family program "Adventures, Fables, and Fantasies: Stories in Art"
Saturday, Aug. 18th at 12 pm - family program "Building Blocks of Art"

In addition to the formal programming, the eye-catching Currier on the Move-mobile will be parked in the field for Old Home Day on Saturday, Aug. 18th, offering an art-making activity for family members of all ages. For more information about the programs offered by the Currier Museum of Art, and the classes offered at the Currier Art Center, please visit their web site at http://www.currier.org/

Annual Moose Festival, August 24th, 25th, and 26th, 2007
Sponsored by the North Country Chamber of Commerce

An exciting schedule of events is planned for this year's Annual Moose Festival, taking place in Colebrook, Canaan,Pittsburg, Stewartstown, and Columbia. Information about the scheduled events is also available at the Chamber of Commerce web site at http://www.northcountrychamber.org/or at http://www.moosefestival.com/.

Friday's Events in Colebrook, NH, August 24th
9 am - 9 pm: Small town sidewalk sales
1 pm - 3 pm: North Country Recreation Center Indoor Pool - dive for moose droppings and special prizes. Open to kids in grades 1-6, and free to participants.
2 pm - 7:30 pm: Connecticut River Artist Group Main Street Art Show, Jenkins and Newman Funeral Home Lawn and Barn
1 pm - 6 pm: Quilt Show, Trinity United Methodist Church
4 pm - 9 pm: Moose Festival Street Fair; crafts, demos, music, food & entertainment
5 pm - 9 pm: Live Entertainment at the Cabaret
5 pm - 6 pm - Especially for Children, Sponsored by the Colebrook Public Library
7:30 pm - 9 pm: The Folk Tree (Folk/Celtic Music)
4 pm - 8 pm: Bobo The Clown
Historical Society Open House
5 pm - 'til gone: Kiwanis Club Chicken BBQ
5 pm - 7 pm: Cruise night on Bridge Str.
6 pm - 7 pm: Mathieu's Martial Art Center, Tae Kwon Do Demonstration
7 pm: Guided Moose Tour to Dixville Notch
Mock Moose Parade and Auto Cruise

Saturday's Events in Canaan, VT, August 25th
6:30 am: Set-up of Crafters and Vendors
7 am - 10 am: Moose Watchers Breakfast, Canaan School
8 am: Auto Show Registration
9 am - 3 pm: Moose Country Fair; crafts, demos, music, food, and entertainment
Moose Festival Auto Show
Fire Safety House
Ways of the Woods: People & Land in the Northern Forest, Mobile Museum of the Northern Forest Center
Moose Festival Photography Contest
10 am - 3 pm: Bobo the Clown
Live Entertainment at the Music Tent
17 Piece Berlin Jazz Band
will break from 1 pm - 2 pm for the Moose Calling Contest
Pony Rides for Children
Horse & Wagon Historical Tours
11 am: Bill Bromage Moose Stew Cook-Off, come sample, judge, and enjoy!
5th Annual Dog Show
12 pm til gone: Moose Burger BBQ Cookout; presented by the Border Lions Club
1 pm: 16th Annual Moose Calling Contest
3 pm: Rubber Ducky Race at Leach Stream; tickets available at the Chamber Booth

Saturday's Events in Pittsburg, NH, August 25th
1 pm: Guided Hike in Johnson Memorial Forest & at 4th Conn. Lake. Meet at Pittsburg Fire Station.
11 am - 2:30 pm: A Day at the Farm; Come visit the Amey Farm on Tabor Road
2 pm - 5 pm: Historical Society; at the Town Hall Museum
5 pm til gone: Chicken BBQ; at Pittsburg School
5 pm - 7 pm: Mini Cruise Night. Meet at Pittsburg School.
7 pm - 10 pm: Blue Grass Concert: under the stars at the Amey Farm. BYO blankets, chairs, and refreshments.
7 pm: Guided Moose Tours thru Moose Alley: Leave from Pittsburg School.

Sunday's Events in Stewartstown and Columbia, August 26th 8 am - 11 am: Festival Breakfast; St. Albert Assumption Church Hall, W. Stewartstown
10:30 am: Blessing of the Autos; Our Lady of Grace Shrine, Columbia


CRAG Main Street Art Show
Sponsored by The Connecticut River Artist Group, to be held during the 16th Annual Moose Festival, on August 24th, 2007, in Colebrook, NH.

PLACE: Jenkins Funeral Home Lawn and Barn, Main Str., Colebrook, NH
TIME: 2:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Visual artists from throughout the region are invited to participate. Registration is required, and must be postmarked no later than August 2nd, 2007, along with a non-refundable $15.00 registration fee.

Additional information about the event, and a registration form may be found at the CRAG web site at http://yankeeimages.tripod.com/ConnRiverArtists
For more information, and to request a registration form by mail, please contact Les and Patricia Klinefelter at 802-266-3687, or email LPKLINE@aol.com

CRAG Summer Paintout

Connecticut River Artist Group Summer Plein Air Paint Out, and Art in the Park Exhibition

This past week-end CRAG hosted their first Summer Plein Air Paint Out, and an Art in the Park Exhibition. The week-end long event began on Thursday evening, with a lovely reception at the home of Les and Patty Klinefelter. The group was also joined by Sharon Allen, founder of NHPleinair, who had traveled north from her home in Derry. We all enjoyed a pleasant evening of conversation and refreshments, and discussed possible painting locations for Friday and Saturday.

Plein Air Painting in the North Country:

On Friday, Sharon headed out early to capture the morning sunrise over First Connecticut Lake. I joined her later, and we spent the day painting views of the shoreline and the small island off the beach, just above First Lake dam.
The weather was beautiful....a welcome change from all the rain we'd had over the past few weeks. The day resulted in a successful painting session, with both of us completing paintings for the show on Sunday.

Patty also met with Mary Ellen Russell, who'd traveled north from Bethlehem, to paint in the area on Friday and Saturday. The two of them spent the day painting at Lake Wallace, and at Lake Averill in VT. Sharon and I met with Patty and Mary Ellen that evening, at The Indian Stream Eatery, for dinner. We enjoyed a great meal, and ended the day sharing information and tips about painting, as well as planning our strategy for Saturday.

Saturday morning found Sharon painting the early morning sunrise at Lake Francis, while Mary Ellen began the day at Indian Stream. I met with Aline Lotter, another NHPleinair member at the Pittsburg Fire Station. Aline had arrived late in the day on Friday, and had spent the evening painting a view of Back Lake from the porch at Tall Timber. She and I discussed other painting locations in the area, and she decided to travel north to Partridge Cabins, hoping to complete a second painting of First Lake and Mt. Magalloway.

I headed to Indian Stream, where Mary Ellen had already gotten a good start on a painting of the trees in the valley. I began a painting looking north toward Indian Stream Farm, nestled in the valley at a distance. Before long, Sharon joined us, to begin her second painting for the day.

The forecast had predicted rain, and by 11:00 am, the weather had changed. As the wind picked up, and the clouds rolled in, we regretfully stopped work on our current piece, and packed up the easels. We headed for cover at the Bacon Rd.Covered Bridge, where we each selected another view looking up or down the river. Aline joined us at the bridge shortly thereafter, having finished her painting at Partridge Cabins. While we painted, we were visited with several passer-bys and fishermen. Despite the weather, the day proved to be successful, with each of us completing at least one painting, and getting a good start on one or two more. Mary Ellen left to return home that afternoon, but she entrusted me with one of her paintings to display at the exhibition on Sunday.

At 6:00 pm, the rest of us met at Happy Corner Cafe for dinner, and were also joined by Aline's daughter and grand-daughter, and by another artist member of CRAG, Deborah Sargent. We enjoyed another great meal, before we headed out for a drive to Second Lake, hoping to catch a glimpse of a moose along famous "Moose Alley". Our search, up to that point, was unsuccessful, but Second Lake was as beautiful as ever. We saw nothing but tracks on the drive back, but managed to forget the disappointment over an icecream cone at Moose Alley Cones. Moose tracks icecream seemed to be an acceptible compromise for Aline's grand-daughter. Fortunately, Sharon and I did happen to catch a quick glimpse of a cow moose along Rte. 3, on our return to the village. So, I was pleased the Plein Air portion of our week-end had ended with success, both for painting, and for moose hunting!

Art in the Park:
The Art in the Park Exhibition was held on Sunday, at the common in Canaan, VT. I met Les at the park before 8:00 am, and we began setting up the racks for the show. CRAG member, Judi Calhoun, soon arrived, and before long the three of us had the area ready for display. Les and I hung several paintings for those people who'd dropped of work, but were unable to attend. The exhibition included work from nine different artists, including members from NHPleinair, CRAG, and others. Several people visited the display throughout the day, and the weather turned out to be beautiful, which was a great relief to those of us who'd organized and planned the event.

At the conclusion of the show, Les, Deb, and I took down the racks and packed them up again. Les, Patty and I felt that overall the day had gone well, considering it was the first Art in the Park sponsored event. It had been a good first step in learning the ropes, and understanding what it takes to plan a successful exhibition. We gained several insights into what had worked well, and also recognized there may need to be modifications or adjustments for future exhibitions.

I'd like to extend a thank you, to all those who contributed and helped to organize and plan this week-end long event. Thank you, to Les and Patty for allowing us the use of your home, for planning the reception, and for your financial contribution toward the reception and in securing the tent......we couldn't have done it without your generosity. Thank you, also, to Sharon, Aline, and Mary Ellen for traveling north to spend the week-end with us....way up here, in our "neck of the woods". We do hope you will all come back to paint with us again soon. In the meantime, I am looking forward to seeing you at the upcoming art shows and/or NHPleinair events.

Until then, wishing you all the best.....and happy creating!

July: Upcoming Events

Pittsburg's Fourth of July Celebration
Celebrate Independence Day at the Murphy Dam in Pittsburg, NH. Activities will include vendors, baseball games, music, square dancing, and of course...fireworks!

18th Annual Bethel Area Art Fair
Sponsored by the Bethel Maine Area Chamber of Commerce. Artists and artisans from throughout the region will be exhibiting their work on the common, July 7th, in the Bethel Village. In addition to the beautiful fine art display, there will be music and entertainment, and a raffle. If you're in the area, please stop by booth #25, to say hello!

Summer Pleinair Paintout and Art in the Park Exhibition
The Connecticut River Artist Group will be sponsoring a Pleinair Paintout and Art in the Park Exhibition July 26th through July 29th. Visual artists from NH, VT, ME, MA, and southern Quebec are invited to participate in this exciting week-end long event. Participating artists will exhibit their completed work at the Art in the Park Exhibition to be held on Sunday, July 29th, on the common in Canaan, VT., from 10:00am to 3:00pm. The exhibition is open and free to the public.

For additional information, please visit the CRAG website at http://yankeeimages.tripod.com/ConnRiverArtists or contact Brenda L.B. Kenney at 603-538-9542, or by email at bkenney@ncia.net.

Painting: "Lupine's Dance"

Sugar Hill is one of several NH towns to celebrate the annual Lupine Festival. Each year hundreds of people travel to the quaint village north of Franconia Notch, to take in the beautiful views of the surrounding White Mountains, and walk among the fields of lavender and pink lupine blooming in the foreground. I was thrilled to have the chance to travel to Sugar Hill, a week ago Friday, to join two other members of NHPleinair, for a day of painting on location. What a beautiful day!
(That painting is not quite complete, but I hope to have it posted soon.)

This is also the time of year when lupine bloom along the road sides and small clearings throughout the north country. Because of the cooler climate, Pittsburg's lupine are a little behind the rest, but well worth the wait.

In anticipation of the festival at Sugar Hill, I searched back through my archives of photographs, and came across an image I had taken last year...of a glowing patch of lupine growing along Rte 3, to the northern end of town. "Lupine's Dance" is a just a fun little 8x10 oil painting, created in the celebration of their return.

Price & Description